Illinois REALTORS® celebrated 2025 REALTOR® of the Year Michael Gobber Monday night at the President Abraham Lincoln DoubleTree Hotel in Springfield.

The banquet spotlighted Gobber and honored 20 local REALTORS® of the Year representing their local associations from around the state.

Gobber, a partner and the designated managing broker for Century 21 Circle in Westchester, has been a leader in the real estate industry with the Mainstreet Organization of REALTORS®, Illinois REALTORS® and the National Association of REALTORS®. A REALTOR® since 1999, he led the Mainstreet as its 2019 president, served as the 2023 Illinois REALTORS® president and is the 2025 NAR Region 7 regional vice president.

At the state level, he has chaired several committees, including Professional Standards, Illinois REALTORS® Plaza, Finance, Executive, Audit and Performance/Compensation. Gobber is a 2017 graduate of the Illinois REALTORS® Leadership Development Program.

He is the State Legislative Contact for Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford of Chicago. He understands the power a strong REALTOR® political advocacy program can have on the industry. He is among an elite group of REALTORS® nationwide who have been inducted into the REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC) Hall of Fame for lifetime contributions of at least $25,000.

At the national level, he is serving on the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Board of Directors and has served on multiple committees since 2018.

Local associations also recognized their own 2025 REALTORS® of the Year:

  • The late Jodi Barney is the Central Illinois Board of REALTORS®’ ROTY and was a broker for Barney Real Estate in Westville.
  • James Byrnes is the REALTOR® Association of the Fox Valley (RAFV) ROTY and a broker for Baird & Warner of Algonquin.
  • Luigi Corral is the North Shore-Barrington Association of REALTORS® ROTY and the co-founder and managing broker/owner for RE/MAX American Dream in Lake Zurich.
  • Suzie Duff is the Capital Area REALTORS® ROTY and is a broker for RE/MAX Professionals in Springfield.
  • Stephanie Eiger is the Oak Park Area Association of REALTORS® ROTY and a broker for Coldwell Banker Realty in Oak Park.
  • Diana Foltz is the Champaign County Association of REALTORS® ROTY and is the designated managing broker for Coldwell Banker Real Estate Group in Champaign.
  • Baylee Gambetti is the Peoria Area Association of REALTORS® (PAAR) ROTY and the designated managing broker for RE/MAX Traders Unlimited in Pekin.
  • Andrea Greenwalt is the Illini Valley Association of REALTORS® ROTY and a broker with Janko Realty & Development in Tonica.
  • Shari Haefner is the Northern Illinois Commercial Association of REALTORS® ROTY and a broker associate for Premier Commercial Realty in Lake in the Hills.
  • Chris King is the HomeTown Association of REALTORS® ROTY and is the designated managing broker for United Country Sauk Valley Realty in Rock Falls.
  • Danell Moberly is the Mid-Illinois REALTORS® Association (MIRA) ROTY and a broker associate for RE/MAX Rising in Bloomington.
  • Debbie Pawlowicz is the Mainstreet Organization of REALTORS® ROTY and the designated managing broker/owner of the DPG Real Estate Agency in Lisle.
  • Sam Row is the Southwestern Illinois Board of REALTORS® ROTY and the designated managing broker for Keller Williams Pinnacle in Columbia.
  • Ann Schuler is the Three Rivers Association of REALTORS® ROTY and a broker for Century 21 Circle in Joliet.
  • Sheila Thomas is the Heartland REALTOR® Organization ROTY and a broker for RE/MAX Plaza in McHenry.
  • Sarah Ware is the Chicago Association of REALTORS® ROTY and is the designated managing broker of Ware Realty Group in Chicago.
  • Rob Warmbir is the Kankakee-Iroquois-Ford Association of REALTORS® ROTY and owns RW Property Services LLC in Clifton.
  • Michael Wendt is the Quad City Area REALTOR® Association ROTY and is the in-house counsel for Ruhl & Ruhl REALTORS® in Moline.
  • Marcia Williams is the NorthWest Illinois Alliance of REALTORS® ROTY and a broker for Gambino Realtors in Rockford.
  • Bridgett Zanger is the Quincy Association of REALTORS® ROTY and is a broker for Zanger & Associates, Inc., REALTORS® in Quincy.